Meriden Firearms Co ?

G

Grtplnsmn

Inactive
Was recently passed Great grandfather's old dblbrl shotgun..would appreciate any tidbit of history on the company and era of the gun...It is marked

Meriden Fire Arms Co.
Meriden Conn.
Patent applied for

Also marked:

The A.J. Aubrey

any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks....
 
Grtplnsm:
I don't have a record on the Meridan or Aurbury shotgun, but I do remember restocking this brand. From what I can remember it is considered a "Hardware Gun", but I cannot locate it on any of my cross over lists. It was probably buit sometime in the late 1800 early 1900's, and probably worth, depending upon condition, $250.00. I don't think it is one of the Real collectables as we know them.

HJN
 
Thanks very much for the info.....$250.00 is way more than I figured...But I wouldnt sell it for 10X that much.....Going to take a spot on the wall in my den !!!
 
Meriden Firearms Co. of Meriden, CT, made both revolvers and double barrel shotguns from 1900 to about 1915. I believe all their shotguns were Damascus barreled. They also imported Belgian guns and sold them under the Meriden name. These will have Belgian proof marks. They made guns mostly for mail order companies (Montgomery Ward and Sears, especially). I might be wrong, but I think Aubrey was a well-known shooter of the time and his name was put on as advertising. I wish I could provide more info. Needless to say, keep the gun for an heirloom, but do not fire it!

Jim
 
Meridan Mod 15, .22 cal. with Remington barrel?

Saw your old post on search for Meridan Firearms Information and saw that your information was similar to what I have been able to find out. I have a Meridan Mod 15 and I have been trying for sometime to find out its history. I have only owned it for about a year and it has been very hard to find out anything. I know that the company was in Meridan, Ct., and that it seems to have been ex-employees or moonlighting employees of Remington who did the shopwork. The serial number is only 4 digits, so I am assuming this means it was fairly early. The barrel is marked Remington Firearms, Ilion, N.Y. and it has some kind of water mark on the barrell, it is not complete but looks like 2 W's, but it is difficult to tell. I find it most interesting that it has a Remington (Mod 12) barrel. I am familiar with MFA general marketing, selling mostly to Montgomery Wards and Sears, and possibly others, but this one also has some other very interesting features. The reciever has a very wonderfull scene of 2 rabbits frolicking (I am only assuming that they are frolicking) on one side and on the other there are 2 squirells in the trees with some very nice scrollwork decorating the rest of the receiver. Very nice work for a company that sels to average folk(???). Also, the Stock is flamed/burled Walnut (American Black Walnut???) with some pretty nice checkering work at the grip. It also takes down with a knurled screw on the left side of the receiver. Would you have any information about this gun? It is hard to imagine going to that much trouble and then to sell so inexpensively. Anyway, would you have any information that might help???
 
I didn't have this information on your first request, however, better late than never. LOL

From
SXS's of the World 2k
By Charles Carder

HJN
 
Meridan Mod 15, .22 cal. with Remington barrel?

Thanks for your information. it is one more piece of the puzzle. I hope to someday find out whether it was the work of Remington boys, and when it was made. I wonder if the town of Meridan would have any info???
 
Meriden Shotgun

I have a Meriden 20 ga. double and I shoot it all the time, in fact I shot my first turkey with it this year with a Federal 3 in. mag shock and killed it stone dead at 41 yards. It is a very good shooter and it isn't damascus. All it says is Meriden Firearm Company Meriden,CT Pat'T July 9,1907 I can find Meriden pistols and rifles in my books but not any shotguns.
I do wish I could find a new set of wood for it though if you know of any please let me know.
Thanks,
Poleok
 
Poleok, If you are shooting 3 in. mags in an old 1918 Meriden, don't worry about a new stock, just make sure your health insurance ( and any one who hunts near you) is paid up. Good luck.
 
pick out a nice grave stone and spot

Damascuss barrels will blow up just like in the cartoons and you will need a new face or a casket. I got a pic somewhere I will try and scan and post later of an old damascuss barrel that blew up when the guy shot it with modern loads during phesant season and blew the guys hand off. :eek:

As far as the meridian, it's junk and you should sell it for like 50, but I will give ya 100. Just kidding!!:p Keep it and ya I saw one in very good condition go for 500 at a gun show last year. Any old damascuss side by side makes a good wall hanger and that is my 2 cents (just please don't shoot it for your own sake).
 
my dad passed away and he gave me this double barrel meriden...any help?

id like to post pics but i dont know how.....it is a 3 piece shotgun..it breaks down into 3 pieces to store...it has quite beautiful markings on the silver or whatever the metal is....it has a double trigger....ive never seen a shotgun like this...any help appreciated:)
 
Meriden generally made "working" guns but like some other such companies, did turn out high quality guns when money was to be made. I would advise against shooting that gun, but it certainly sounds like a good collectors item as well as having sentimental value. Without a personal inspection or at least good pictures, no one could possibly do an appraisal, even a "ball park" figure.

Jim
 
Curiosity got the better of me; so, if anyone is still interested here is what I found out on-line about Meriden Fire Arms and Aubrey:

Albert James Aubrey became a production manager of Sears, Roebuck & Co. in 1904. The following year he persuaded Sears to open its own gun production facility in Meriden, the Meriden Fire Arms Co, with Aubrey as vice-president. It continued until Fall, 1918.

Aubrey himself was born in Meriden in 1862 and in the 1880 census was working in a Meriden gun factory, perhaps Parker Bros which was an important supplier to Sears Roebuck. By c.1890 Aubrey was plant superintendent for the Wilkes-Barre Gun Co. in New York until it folded in 1895. From 1900 to c.1905 he was probably living in Norwich and working for Colt until he moved back to Meriden.

Aubrey died in 1947.
 
In reading this thread it surprises me that this last post is the first mention of Parker in the thread. It seems for a time at least there was hardly a manufacturer of anything in Meriden without Parker's hand in it.
 
gun manufactury

if you look up gun companies you will find untold no in Conn and Mass also NH and Maine before ww2. such a shame to have these states change so radicaly in culture.
 
Meridan shotgun

I have read with enthusiasm the responses about the Meriden Firearms company and the shotguns in question. I purchased a meridan 20 ga gun in 1965. There is the number 78529 on the underside of the forearm and the number 78523 stamped on the underside of the barrels triggers nad firing pin assembly. Also there is the number S 28 stamped just above the 78523. I have read a number of responses saying that this is a Damascus barreled gun and not to shoot it. I must say I have used this gun for 44 years now on quail and doves and have fired many rounds of high brass federal, Remington and Winchester and also reloaded hundreds of shells for it. I know a Damascus barrel when I see one and this is definitely not one. I have never had anything happen to this firearm and it is just a pleasure to shoot. I have no idea when it was built, but the patent date is July 9, 1907. Someone wrote in they wouldn't take ten time the amount it was appraised at and I totally agree with him.

Chiricahuajon.
 
I have read with enthusiasm the responses about the Meriden Firearms company and the shotguns in question. I purchased a meridan 20 ga gun in 1965. There is the number 78529 on the underside of the forearm and the number 78523 stamped on the underside of the barrels triggers nad firing pin assembly. Also there is the number S 28 stamped just above the 78523. I have read a number of responses saying that this is a Damascus barreled gun and not to shoot it. I must say I have used this gun for 44 years now on quail and doves and have fired many rounds of high brass federal, Remington and Winchester and also reloaded hundreds of shells for it. I know a Damascus barrel when I see one and this is definitely not one. I have never had anything happen to this firearm and it is just a pleasure to shoot. I have no idea when it was built, but the patent date is July 9, 1907. Someone wrote in they wouldn't take ten time the amount it was appraised at and I totally agree with him.

Chiricahuajon
Click to expand...

Thank you very much for posting this information. This is the 1st 20ga that I am able to record. In the 1918 catalog Sears offered a 20ga Meriden gun. The 1st 20ga was listed a few years earlier in a Meriden Firearms Catalog. Very few of these were made in 20ga.

The S28 indicates that the barrels as they left the factory were 28" and made of Steel. The serial number puts it at the very end of production, 1917-1918.

If you have any pictures of the gun that you would like to share, please send them to me at:
aubrey@damascus-barrels.com

It is difficult to tell how many of the Aubrey / Meriden guns remain. Most of them are never put up for sale.

Pete
 
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